In a world where everything has become ‘remote’, ‘touchless’, ‘automated’ and ‘sanitised’, it is increasingly apparent that humans crave personal connection more than they desire seamless perfection.
The companies that will stand out in the future are those who know how to strike the perfect balance between automation and human assistance. After all, one can’t exist without the other.
At your service – Both online and off
Two years of living with a global pandemic have taken its toll on service delivery in general. A great number of companies have unfortunately had to let a number of good people go. Now that life is returning to ‘normal’, it can be difficult to keep up with high expectations from customers. If we’re honest, the entire global travel industry is certainly struggling to keep up with the sudden increase in travel volumes. Airports worldwide are facing crippling staff shortages, which have led to long queues at check-in and at security. Hotels, restaurants, car rental companies and airlines are all struggling to meet the pent-up demand, which has a direct impact on their service delivery.
Trust us: Travel booking just got simpler, faster easier
Who is responsible for travel booking in your organisation? Are you lucky enough to have a dedicated travel manager? For most SMEs, travel booking forms part of an executive assistant or administrator’s role, which can prove stressful and time-consuming if they’re booking travel in addition to their day-to-day responsibilities. It is a lot to keep on top of, especially if your team is scaling quickly and you have a number of people on the road. This is where online booking tools, backed by AI, really come into their own.
Traveller confidence: check-in and chill out
When it comes to traveller confidence, of course, tech plays a part. Handy travel apps can save your itinerary; keep travel documents in one place; send you updated travel information (including flight or gate changes) and travel alerts; and even push through destination information (like the weather, where to eat and what to do). But there is nothing quite like knowing that someone else is in charge if things go wrong.
Duty of care: Buckle up, things just got serious
The world of travel has changed. Duty of care has never been more important, traveller tracking is now a non-negotiable, and travel management companies are working hard to bring you the tools and the tech to keep your travellers safe. Corporate Traveller’s team will be able to give solid pretrip travel advice, for example, a country-by-country risk assessment); flag any potential risks; alert travellers (and the team back home) to any developments; and actively liaise with local consulates and embassies should the need arise.